Two men will spend the rest of their natural lives in prison for the murder of six members of a family on Campbelton Road in Logwood, Hanover.
They are 27-year-old bike taxi operator Mikhail Campbell otherwise called ‘Troy’ from Green Island in Hanover, and 51-year-old construction worker Errol Clarke otherwise called ‘Scorcher’ from Mountain Side in the parish.
They were given life sentences when they appeared in the Home Circuit Court on December 14 for the murder of 15-year-old Davian Mahabee, 18-year-old Alia Mahabee, 63-year-old Linette Bloomfield, 40-year-old Mark Bloomfield, 36-year-old Kerry-Ann Bloomfield, and 30-year-old Brian Mangaroo.
Police reports are that, about 11:30pm on 8 October 2015, residents heard explosions and saw fire coming from a nine-bedroom board dwelling house on Campbelton Road.
The police, as well as the Lucea and Negril Fire Departments, were summoned.
After cooling down operations, the charred remains of all six persons were seen among the rubble. Four other occupants of the house received injuries and were treated at hospital.
Campbell and Clarke were convicted on November 30 for six counts of murder, four counts of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, and one count of arson.
The sentences
On three counts of murder, Campbell and Clarke were each sentenced to life imprisonment on each count. These sentences are to run concurrently, with the possibility for parole after serving 40 years in prison.
Regarding the other three counts of murder, both men were each sentenced to life imprisonment on each count. These sentences are to run consecutively, both being eligible for parole after serving 80 years in prison.
On the four counts of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, the men each received sentences of 20 years imprisonment at hard labour to run concurrently.
On the one count of arson, they were each sentenced to 20 years imprisonment at hard labour.
Acting Head of the Criminal Investigation Branch Senior Superintendent of Police McArthur Sutherland, in commending members of the National Intelligence Bureau and the Area One Criminal Investigation Branch, said: “Congratulations to the team for their efforts to properly investigate these major crimes that shocked the nation and traumatized the community when they were committed.
“The efforts to apprehend and have the perpetrators answer the criminal charges which led to their convictions is indeed remarkable. The parish of Hanover is a much safer place with these perpetrators effectively removed from the communities,” the senior cop further said.
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